complete verse (John 11:9)

Following are a number of back-translations of John 11:9:

  • Uma: “Yesus said to them: ‘Aren’t there twelve hours that are light during one day? People who walk in the light do not stub-their-toes, because they see the light of the sun that enlightens this world.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Isa answered in a parable, he said, ‘Do not be troubled. In one day there are twelve hours of light. If we (dual) walk in daytime, we (dual) do not stumble for the world is light.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And Jesus answered, ‘Twelve hours is a day, and if someone walks in the day, he’ll not stub his foot because he is illumined by the sun.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Jesus said then by-illustration, ‘It’s-all-right, nothing yet will happen to us because the daytime is twelve hours, isn’t that so? If a person walks in the daytime, he will not stumble, because the path can-be-seen.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Jesus answered, saying, ‘Isn’t it so that twelve hours are one day? Well, that one who walks while it is still daytime, of course he won’t walk-into-something because he can see by the light of the sun.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Jesus gave a comparison, saying that it was not yet time that he would die. He said, ‘Isn’t it true that there are twelve hours of daylight in a day? Well, he who walks in the light will not stumble because he walks in the light which shines here on the earth.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on John 11:9

Both the Jews and the Romans divided the period from sunrise to sunset into twelve hours. Jesus’ question naturally expects the answer “Yes.” In a few languages there are still no terms for “hours.” However, one can always speak of “twelve divisions of the day” or “twelve parts of the day.”

In broad daylight is literally “in the day,” an expression intended to contrast the light of day with the darkness of night. Phillips and New English Bible have “daylight”; Jerusalem Bible has “daytime.” The closest equivalent in some languages is “while the sun is shining” or “while the sun is bright.”

For he sees the light of this world is a fairly literal translation of the Greek. Jerusalem Bible translates “because he has the light of this world to see by,” and New American Bible “because he sees the world bathed in light.” The meaning is obvious. This clause merely takes up the previous clause and explains it. The light of this world is clearly a reference to the sun, but almost as clearly John intends his readers to see in this statement a description of Jesus (8.12; 9.5). Therefore it would be wrong to translate “because he sees the sun.” It is better to use such a phrase as “the one who gives light to this world,” so that the implied allusion to Jesus himself may be seen.

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on the Gospel of John. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1980. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

SIL Translator’s Notes on John 11:9

11:9–10

These verses first explain why Jesus needed to go to Judea even though there was danger there. Jesus asked, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight?” Daylight refers to the time that he had to do God’s will (see 9:4). It was still light, and Jesus still had work to do before he died.

However, these verses also talk about his twelve (12) disciples and all who follow him. Because Jesus is the light of the world (see 9:5), we must stay close to him. That way we can avoid unnecessary problems in our lives. Without Jesus’ light we easily trip over things in the dark.

11:9a

Are there not twelve hours of daylight?: This is a rhetorical question. Jesus used it as a way to emphasize that there are twelve (12) hours of daylight. There are two ways to translate this emphasis:

• Use a rhetorical question. For example:

A day has twelve hours, doesn’t it? (Good News Translation)

• Use a statement. For example:

There are twelve hours of daylight every day. (New Living Translation (2004))

Use whichever form is most natural in your language to express positive emphasis.

This rhetorical question is also a metaphor. Jesus was not telling his disciples that there are twelve (12) hours in a day. He meant that it was all right to go to Judea because he did not have to die yet. The word daylight represented his life on earth, the time before his death on a cross. His question implies that there was still time before he had to die. If the meaning of this metaphor is not clear in your language, you may want to make it clearer. For example:

It’s all right, nothing will happen to us yet because daylight lasts for twelve hours, does it not?

twelve hours of daylight: The Jews and the Romans divided the daylight (hours of light in a day) into twelve (12) parts. These twelve parts varied in length at different times of year but were about an hour long. You may want to explain this in a footnote. These daylight hours were the time in which people could work and travel safely.

11:9b

If anyone walks in the daytime, he will not stumble: The phrase anyone walks in the daytime refers to any and every person who walks in the daylight. In some languages it may be natural to follow the Greek and use a singular subject. For example:

Anyone can walk in the daytime without stumbling (Revised English Bible)
-or-
No one who walks in the daytime stumbles (New Jerusalem Bible)

See also the General Comment on 11:9–10.

This clause continues the metaphor. Jesus was not telling his disciples that it is safer to walk during the day than at night. Rather he was telling them that those who walk with him, the light of the world, will not stumble. The word stumble usually means “to trip over something,” but here in the metaphor it means either “to sin” or “to face unnecessary danger.” In some languages, you may want to make the meaning of the metaphor clearer. For example:

People will not stumble ⌊into difficulty/danger⌋ when they walk during the day.

walks in the daytime: This phrase refers to walking during the hours of daylight. Use the expression that is natural in your language. For example:

walks in broad daylight (Good News Translation)

he will not stumble: The verb stumble means to trip over something. A person walking in the daylight will not trip over things because he can see better. In some languages it may be natural to say this in a positive way. For example:

people can walk safely (New Living Translation (2004))

11:9c

because he sees by the light of this world: The word because introduces the reason why people who walk during the day do not stumble. They have light from the sun. This light enables them to see everything else. For example:

because he has this world’s light to see by (Revised English Bible)
-or-
because he can see by this world’s light (New Century Version)

the light of this world: This phrase refers more literally to the sun. If your readers will not understand this, it may be necessary to make it explicit. For example:

they see by the light ⌊of the sun⌋ , the light of this world

Jesus also spoke in a figurative way, referring to himself as the light of this world. Refer to the notes on 8:12b and 9:5b. You may want to write a footnote that explains this figurative meaning. You may refer your readers to 8:12b and 9:5b, where Jesus called himself “the light of the world.” Or you may be able to suggest in the text that Jesus is using a metaphor. For example:

the one who gives light to the world
-or-
the source of ⌊true⌋ light for the world
-or-
The ⌊one who is⌋ the light of this world makes them able to see clearly.

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